Midland Fair Havens celebrates 15 years

Megan Lea

Published 4:31 pm, Thursday, October 18, 2012

Photo: Tim Fischer

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Paul Cain, Midland Fairhavens board president, left, gives a tour of one of the residences Thursday to Art and Sandy Rybicki during an open house and celebration of 15 years of Fairhavens helping Midland women and families. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram less

Paul Cain, Midland Fairhavens board president, left, gives a tour of one of the residences Thursday to Art and Sandy Rybicki during an open house and celebration of 15 years of Fairhavens helping Midland women ... more

Photo: Tim Fischer

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Cindy Benson gives some history on how Midland Fairhavens was first thought of 17 years ago and then started 15 years ago as she and others help the agency celebrate 15 years of helping Midland women and families. Tim Fischer\Reporter-Telegram less

Cindy Benson gives some history on how Midland Fairhavens was first thought of 17 years ago and then started 15 years ago as she and others help the agency celebrate 15 years of helping Midland women and ... more

Photo: Tim Fischer

Midland Fair Havens celebrates 15 years

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When DiAnn Koehl was hired by a group of volunteer board members to manage a new nonprofit in Midland, she thought she would help the group get started and move on to the next job. That was 15 years ago, and Koehl still serves as executive director of Midland Fair Havens.

The job is more rewarding than any other position she’s had during her career in social services, she said.

“I think one of the differences is people come with the intent and desire to make a change in their life and they embrace the opportunities to learn a different and better way of doing life,” Koehl said.

This year marks Midland Fair Havens’ 15th anniversary.

“We’re celebrating 15 years of building a future for families and the collaborative effort and partnership with other ministries and agencies in the Midland community,” Koehl said.

Since 1997, Midland Fair Havens has provided transitional housing and other services for single mothers and their children. The nonprofit was organized when churches and other community organizations came together after a study pointed to a lack of transitional housing in the community.

“Midland has wonderful opportunities for emergency housing, such as Safe Place and Salvation Army and other permanent housing assistance programs such as Christmas in Action, Habitat for Humanity, city and county housing assistance programs,” Koehl said. “Midland Fair Havens essentially prepares a single mother and her children for permanent housing by providing life skills training, accountability, vocational and educational opportunities and counseling. This program enables families to become healthy strong, independent and self-sufficient, breaking generational cycles and providing a brighter future for the next generation.”

Midland Fair Havens’ residential program provides housing and other

services to about 18 families each year. Since its inception, it has provided more than 4,400 families with resources through its non-residential program.

The nonprofit started with a four-bedroom house on Andrews Highway. It served four families that shared the common areas of the house and each occupied one bedroom. Through donations from community members, the nonprofit acquired other properties scattered around town and the board and staff realized the need for one secure location to serve its clients. The nonprofit purchased the land where its facilities currently sit in March 1999.

“Circling Midland College since they are one of our strongest partners in education for the moms in our program, we found the property where we now are located and began to seek out the owners and were blessed to be able to purchase it with the help of donations,” said Koehl.

Phase 1 of the building project began in October 2003 with the construction of offices and apartments. Phase 2 included the construction of a children’s center on the grounds.

Through the years, the building projects and the clients it has served, the nonprofit has relied on volunteers who have given their time and resources.

“Midland Fair Havens is a wonderful example of a grassroots effort by concerned citizens across the community who came together as volunteers to address the need identified and worked hard until that dream came to fruition,” Koehl said.

Koehl said she hopes the nonprofit continues to change the lives of single mothers and children.

“My vision for the future would be to continue to grow as a research center for young mothers and children in the Permian Basin, touching and changing lives this generation and the next for eternity,” she said. “Our purpose is to help them know the love of Christ and be changed into the person that he intends for them to be with his grace and mercy. Our purpose is to reflect him.”

- At entry, the MFH resident’s average income level is at or below 50 percent of poverty. Eighty-five percent of our families who complete the program achieve their personal goals of stable employment and housing with an average income increase of over 145 percent.

- In 15 years, MFH residents have enrolled in 2,509 college hours with a passing rate of more than 80 percent.

- Through the empowerment of the MFH program, 85 percent of graduates do not return to an abusive relationship even though more than 95 percent come to MFH with a history of domestic violence.

- Through the MFH children's program, residential school-aged children receive regular tutoring services. For the last five years, every student has passed their TAKS tests and advanced to the next grade level.

- In 15 years, the families at MFH have benefited from more than 10,000 hours of service provided by almost 1,600 different volunteers who served as tutors, mentors, life skills presenters, office assistants and more.